Global Funding Sources For Sustainable and Plant-Based Startups 🌱
A growing list of the top accelerators, VCs, incubators, investment funds, equity crowdfunding platforms, and angel investors for you to grow your sustainable and vegan business.
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Events
Pitch potential investors and customers at VEGPRENEUR’s Pitch For The Planet event series!
Financing Options for eCommerce and CPG Brands
For certain e-commerce and consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses, opting for financing over equity raises can offer distinct advantages. Financing, such as loans or credit lines, provides a means to access capital without diluting ownership. This is particularly beneficial for companies aiming to retain control and decision-making power. Additionally, financing allows businesses to manage their capital structure more flexibly, especially during fluctuating market conditions. Unlike equity investments, where ownership is shared with investors, financing arrangements involve repayments, offering a structured approach to managing financial obligations. This approach can be particularly suitable for businesses with predictable cash flows and a desire to maintain autonomy in their strategic decisions. Check out this list of financing options for your company:
Corporate Venture Arms
Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) has emerged as a compelling alternative to traditional venture capital (VC) for several reasons. CVCs go beyond providing capital; they offer strategic partnerships, industry insights, mentorship, and real-world testing opportunities. Unlike traditional VCs, CVCs have a longer investment horizon, allowing startups to focus on sustainable growth. Startups backed by CVCs gain access to valuable resources, including R&D labs and distribution networks, accelerating product development and market access. Moreover, the association with a reputable corporate brand provides credibility, attracts talent, and opens doors to new clients and partnerships, serving as powerful market validation for the startup's viability and value. Check out this list of 1.5k+ Corporate Venture Arms:
Equity CrowdFunding Platforms
Should I consider an equity crowdfunding platform?
Equity crowdfunding is like Kickstarter but instead of only perks, your supporters (aka your investors) also get equity in your business. Due to recent legislative changes, individual investors (who are not accredited necessarily) can now invest in private companies. Using these platforms gives you the chance to source cash from a greater network, gain brand ambassadors, and visibility for your business.
Republic
Raise up to $1 million from 350,000+ people while increasing product sales, growing your brand, and engaging your community. Republic has created a streamlined, startup-friendly process that makes running an investment campaign easy and affordable. We may earn an affiliate commission if sign up!
StartEngine
StartEngine makes raising capital easy by giving you control. No board seats and no term sheets. Your raise, your company, your control.
Seedrs
Seedrs enables all types of investors to invest in businesses they believe in and share in their success. Seedrs enables all types of growth-focused businesses to raise capital and a community in the process.
Harvest Returns
Farmers, ranchers and landowners often need capital to expand their operations or acquire new land. Most farmers automatically seek ag credit lenders for capital, because it’s what we all know as a traditional funding source. But there are other ways besides bank loans to receive the needed capital. The use of equity partners in crowdfunding is an alternate way to finance land acquisition.
The SMBX - Small Business Bonds™ Marketplace
Until now, only governments and large corporations have been able to raise capital by issuing Bonds. Now you too can bypass the bank and sell Bonds directly to the general public, reducing borrowing costs, and gaining customers at the same time.
Wefunder
Raise $20,000 to $5 million - without the hassle. Raise more money, faster, so you can focus on what matters: building your company. Wefunder takes the pain out of fundraising. Get an army of champions who believe in you. Only one shareholder on your cap table.
Crowdcube
Crowdcube was inspired by an unshakable belief in entrepreneurs that dream big, push at the edges and want to make a difference, big and small.
MicroVentures
MicroVentures is always looking for great opportunities. If you have a company with a unique idea, then they are interested in learning more. The sweet spot for their platform is companies or startups that need at least $150,000 to $1,000,000 in capital.
FarmFundr
FarmFundr is a farmer-owned, equity crowdfunding platform focused on specialty crop operations in the United States. We offer fractional farmland ownership opportunities to our members.
Accelerators + Incubators
Should I consider an accelerator/incubator?
Accelerators and incubators are great when you’re just getting started and looking for a strong network. Most programs offer a set amount of funding for a set amount of equity in return. In addition, many programs are 3-4 months and have anywhere from 10-20 companies per cohort. They are a great way to find mentors and to learn from fellow founders in your space.
Big Idea Ventures
New York + Singapore
Big Idea Ventures is solving the world's greatest challenges by supporting the best entrepreneurs. They are a Venture Capital + Accelerator Fund undertaking deeper due diligence in rising seed & growth stage companies by using acceleration to invest in top performers.
Brinc Accelerator
San Francisco + Hong Kong + Shenzhen + Guangzhou
Brinc has developed a three month program covering Greater Bay Area, spanning Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, designed to support entrepreneurs who are solving the inefficiencies in the food supply chain by developing new protein alternatives to replace animal-based and animal-derived products.
GROW Accelerator
GROW is Southeast Asia's first dedicated agrifoodtech accelerator with an impact focus.
Rockstart
ProVeg Incubator
Berlin
Since its launch in November 2018, ProVeg Incubator has worked with over 30 startups from 16 countries, helping them to raise more than €8 million and launch over 40 products. Their tailor-made accelerator programme equips entrepreneurs with the tools and contacts they need to secure investment, grow their businesses, and quickly take new products and services to market. As part of ProVeg International, they are committed to the mission of reducing global animal consumption by 50% by the year 2040.
BeyondSKU Accelerator
New York
BeyondSKU accelerates innovation & entrepreneurs within the consumer products industry. They accomplish this through their best in class accelerator program driven by a community of serial entrepreneurs & industry experts.
We trust that startups drive positive change towards a holistic food supply system. The challenge to provide food for a booming global population represents a massive opportunity for dynamic, innovative, tech-focused startups seeking financial returns with social impact. Rockstart activates a compelling international network and follow-on support to help AgriFood tech startups scale to their full potential.
FoodFutureCo
New York
FoodFutureCo is a scale-up accelerator for small, yet established companies that provide unique products and solutions across the food system. Their focus areas include: consumer products, local food, plant-based food, sustainable seafood, ag tech, food tech and food waste.
Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator
With partners Cargill and Ecolab, this program focuses on the future of food and agriculture.
Visible Hands
This 14-week, virtual-first accelerator will give you the opportunity to work alongside a cohort of exceptional underrepresented founders to build or scale your venture-backed startup.
Carbon13
Carbon13 works with founders to build startups that can reduce CO₂e emissions by millions of tonnes.
NORRSKEN Impact Accelerator
Stockholm
Upfront pre-seed investment of $100k for 5% equity. There’s no fee for the program so you keep the full $100k.
Seaworthy Collective
Seaworthy Collective, founded in 2020 in Miami, Florida, is a startup community and venture studio driving regenerative ocean and climate impact. Seaworthy and its non-profit foundation foster a more accessible, inclusive, and interdisciplinary ocean innovation field (BlueTech). Seaworthy activates its community of current and aspiring BlueTech entrepreneurs and investors through its venture studio, co-creating and growing startups to develop systems of solutions and blue economies at scale.
ShakeUpFactory
Paris, France
ShakeUpFactory is a business accelerator and network catalyst, adding value in growth and transformation for breakthrough projects from farm to fork
Investment Funds
Emil Capital
We know you’re more than a flash in the pan. And we’re more than a passive bystander. We empower founders to execute on their vision — together.
Blue Horizon
Zurich
Blue Horizon is investing at the crossroads of food security, health, sustainability and animal rights, using a holistic investment approach from seed over venture up to uniting leading players into bigger groups. We are proud to back some of the biggest game changers in the food industry. We will always be a partner for entrepreneurs who have a vision and want to move into a tangible business, need money and support through our network for a fast kickstart. And for companies who already have a proven business model and need additional capital for expansion.
VegInvest
New York
VegInvest provides early-stage capital and guidance to companies striving to replace the use of animals:
Babel Ventures
Babel Ventures invests in high-impact founders with the aim of solving some of humanity’s biggest challenges, Investing in companies that have the power to positively change consumer behaviors or current systems leveraging the power of biotech and deep tech. BABEL Ventures has launched BABEL Fund I and will continue to develop new funds and SPVs to back innovative and caring entrepreneurs.
Nourish Ventures
Nourish Ventures is on a mission to partner with and scale the industry trailblazers leading the food system of the future.
Alante Capital
Alante Capital is a venture capital fund investing in innovative technologies that address climate change and enable a resilient, sustainable future for apparel production and retail.
Gather Ventures
Founded in 2019, Gather Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused exclusively on the plant-based sector. We believe that investing in transformative founders of plant-based businesses will create valuable economic opportunities in addition to being one of the best things we can do to improve human health and the health of the planet.
Evolution VC Partners
New York, New York, USA
Evolution VC Partners invests in extraordinary businesses across every stage that define our culture today and lay the foundation for where it’s going next.
Beyond Investing
Geneva, Switzerland
Beyond Investing is a vegan and cruelty-free investment platform providing access to investment products which adhere to vegan principles and accelerate our transition to a kinder, cleaner and healthier world.
CapitalV
CapitalV’s mission is to create a global ecosystem of vegan companies that can grow, develop and support one another, by putting money into ventures that promise environmental, animal and public health benefits in addition to financial returns.
GULLSPÅNG RE:FOOD
Stockholm, Sweden
We make enduring investments in entrepreneurs solving the food system’s structural problems for generations to come. The future of food is delicious and sustainable. We invest in healthy diets, regenerative farming, circular supply chains, and alternative proteins and fats. Our investments aim to reverse fundamental problems into opportunities driving positive impact across the entire food system.
Human Ventures
We go beyond the business model to build and invest in Model Businesses with ambitious founders who are innovating around Human Needs. By unlocking access to a powerful network of founders, investors and corporate partners, we are creating a blueprint for the future of business to be built on purpose®.
Foodlabs
We're backing the most ambitious entrepreneurs tackling key challenges across the entire value chain of the food industry.
Unovis Asset Management
Amsterdam + New York + San Francisco
Unovis Asset Management is the global leader in the alternative protein sector. Their investment firm partners with entrepreneurs developing innovative plant-based and cultivated replacements to animal products, including meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs. Through their inaugural and world-renowned fund, New Crop Capital Trust, and now The Alternative Protein Fund, their goal is to transform the global food system by investing in solutions that facilitate sustained behavioural change and eliminate the consumption of animal protein products.
Sustainable Food Ventures
Sustainable Food Ventures mission is to support founders developing sustainable food products and scaling profitable companies in the global $12 Trillion food and grocery retail market.
PowerPlant Partners
PowerPlant Partners is a growth equity fund that invests in emerging consumer wellness companies.
Fifty Years
San Francisco
Fifty Years is an entrepreneur-run early stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco. We partner with companies that inspire. Specifically, we back companies that, if successful, will be both massively profitable and make a serious dent in achieving one of the Sustainable Development Goals.
CircleUp Growth Partners
CircleUp Growth Partners is an early stage consumer fund with a data-driven, scalable approach to investing in visionary founders
E²JDJ
E²JDJ is a venture capital fund investing in innovative food companies disrupting the way we eat.
Alwyn Capital
New York
At Alwyn Capital the core principle is investing in companies that are actively working to take animals out of the supply chain.
Lowercarbon Capital
Lowercarbon Capital backs kickass companies that make real money slashing CO2 emissions, sucking carbon out of the sky, and buying us time to unf**k the planet
Astanor
We help the ambitious build a food system that is nourishing, regenerative, scalable, trusted and produces delicious food for all.
Dev Equity
Latin America
By providing long-term capital and direct supportDev Equity helps innovative companies in select Latin American countries expand their growth, profitability, and impact.
Good Seed Ventures
Good Seed Ventures exclusively invests in sustainable food solutions and their support goes way beyond financial capital.
AF Ventures
AF Ventures (formerly AccelFoods) is a venture capital fund investing in high-growth consumer product companies.
S2Capital
S2Capital is an early stage investment fund, with a sole focus on plant-based foods. Besides investing, S2 Capital is able to contribute to startups by advising on positioning, strategy and channel development, consumer target groups, branding and communication.
Ahimsa VC
India
In order to help establish India as a global leader in these emerging ESG categories, Ahimsa VC will invest in Indian entrepreneurs building better solutions to industrialized animal agriculture.
Vorwerk Ventures
Germany
Backing the next generation in consumer tech
Clear Current Capital
We focus on companies bringing delicious, inexpensive, readily available, animal free food to a wide consumer base. We will focus on market demand and inefficiencies while helping entrepreneurs to create, and scale, new plant based food/cultivated meat companies. Please contact us now if you are interested in working together to make our food system healthier and more delicious. We are dedicated to growing within this dynamic space.
FTW Ventures
We support leading founders, advise global corporations and deploy capital from high-quality investors to make meaningful change for profit, people & planet.
Hanfield Venture Partners
We are angel investors and venture capitalists investing in startups. Send us your pitch and details about your company to see if we might be a good fit.
LDR Ventures
Female led and Los Angeles based, we consult to and invest primarily in female entrepreneurs at the Seed & Series A Stages. We focus on marketplaces, consumer products and services that make people’s lives better. LDR helps to develop platforms, products and business models with clear paths to profitability.
Nicoya
Nicoya is a business-accelerating investment company focusing on foodtech. We are driven by creating meaningful impact for people, planet, and health. Nicoya is where emerging revolutionary foodtech concepts are developed before landing on consumers’ plates. Together with passionate entrepreneurs we will be part of the force transforming the global food system.
Lever VC
Lever VC is an venture capital firm making early stage investments in alternative protein companies: fast-growing plant-based meat and dairy brands and high-tech startups creating real animal protein from cells instead of live animals. Lever VC Fund I is an $80 million USD Fund investing globally in the category, with Lever VC Fund II slated for launch in 2022.
Radicle Impact
Radicle Impact believes that economic value will be driven increasingly by businesses that acknowledge our interdependence, recognize the scarcity of planetary resources, and embrace justice, community, and equity.
CPT Capital
CPT Capital is defined by the companies we invest in. From the breakthrough biomimicry methods of Impossible Foods or Beyond Meat, to Upside Foods cell-based meat revolution, our portfolio companies are not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom.
Loft Growth Partners
We are devoted to elevating those around us to new heights – helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs grow and their companies become the iconic brands of tomorrow.
FootPrint Coalition
We are a coalition of investors, donors, and storytellers committed to scaling technologies to restore our planet.
Closed Loop Partners
Closed Loop Partners is a New York based investment firm that provides equity and project finance to scale products, services and infrastructure at the forefront of the development of the circular economy.
Systemiq Capital
Systemiq Capital backs climate tech entrepreneurs raising their late seed to Series A/B rounds. Our portfolio companies benefit from access to our unparalleled climate knowledge and networks.
2150 VC
We back tech entrepreneurs who are reimagining and innovating the Urban Stack.
FLORA Ventures
FLORA Ventures is partnering with purpose-drivenentrepreneurs who are redefining the $8T AgriFood &Sustainability industries to make food that is good forpeople and kind to the planet. The fund is focused oninvesting in early-stage ventures (Pre-Seed to Series A) fromtwo of the leading AgriFood ecosystems, Israel and Europe,and providing those ventures with all the needed support tosuccessfully scale globally.
Joyful Ventures
Changing our world for the better means transforming our food system. It means supporting the development, production, and distribution of sustainable proteins that outcompete animal-based products on cost, taste, and convenience.
Milk & Honey
We envision a sustainable global food system, powered by a new protein industry. We effectively accelerate disruptive Israeli Foodtech ventures, as we lead, impact, and capitalize, along with this historic agricultural revolution.
BFG Partners
We invest in early stage, high growth consumer products companies that are better for you and better for the planet.
Springdale Ventures
We partner with visionary founders to accelerate the growth of transformative consumer brands.
InMotion Ventures
We back exceptional entrepreneurs setting new benchmarks in quality, technology and sustainability.
Veg Capital
Veg Capital provides early-stage capital to companies striving to replace the use of animals in the food system.
SADITA
Sadita’s core philosophy consists of providing talented individuals and team the necessary resources to create profitable, customer-oriented businesses for the long-term. It is our desire to grow from a regional player to a global player by investing in talent-driven organizations in line with our values.
KBW Ventures
Focusing exclusively on venture capital, value creation and growth equity, KBW Ventures is an asset management company that targets direct investments in some of the world’s most highly sought-after private companies.
Astanor
We help the ambitious build a food system that is nourishing, regenerative, scalable, trusted and produces delicious food for all.
Eatable Adventures
We hand pick the most innovative startups with the highest potential to disrupt the F&B industry and provide them with the tools and connections they need to thrive.
FastForward 2032
FF2032 is Lotus Bakeries’ corporate venture fund focused on the broader food & drinks space. We provide minority growth equity to support top-notch entrepreneurs to significantly scale their business.
GGV Capital
We believe the talent
to build great companies
comes from anywhere.
Kanca Ventures
Kanca Ventures is a family-owned investment firm backed by the second and third generation family business leaders of Kanca Forging, a leading automotive parts supplier founded in 1965 by Abdullah Kanca who was a prominent entrepreneur and philanthropist of his time.
Magnetic
We support founders and promoters with outsized ambitions. Disruptors of existing businesses, and those wanting to better the world.
For Good Ventures
For Good Ventures is a family office venture capital investment firm targeting innovative, disruptive technologies changing the world for good. We invest in for-profit, positive-impact businesses and funds in private markets positioned for scalable, positive change.
Amberstone VC
We started Amberstone to support entrepreneurs building breakthrough food and consumer product companies. We partner with brands at their earliest stages, providing the capital and insights necessary to scale efficiently into category leaders.
World Fund
Berlin, Germany
World Fund invests in tech that can save at least 100Mt of CO2e emissions per year. Startups with such potential will be the most valuable companies of the next decade. The sectors with gigantic decarbonization opportunities are Energy, Food & Agriculture, Manufacturing, Buildings and Transport.
TET VENTURES
We solve the world's most consequential problems, and build things that last. We invest 50k - 250k at the earliest stages across the U$, €urope, and beyond.
Arcadian Capital
Arcadian is a leader in cannabis venture capital and headquartered in the center of the cannabis phenomenon (Los Angeles, CA). Our talented team, proven strategy, and strong moral imperative to build ethical companies with ESG best practices allows us create an ecosystem for valued creation.
Rose Street Capital
Rose Street Capital is an early stage venture fund investing in direct-to-consumer and ecommerce.
Synthesis Capital
Synthesis Capital invests in game-changing founders, whose companies are transforming the food system through the synthesis of food technology and modern biotechnology.
Alliance Consumer Growth
We provide growth capital, strategic guidance and industry-specific resources to help the most promising emerging consumer brands reach their full potential.
Soundwaves Ventures
SOUNDWaves is an investment vehicle dedicated to the next generation of clean, circular and sustainable businesses. Anchored by a partnership program with some of the world's leading brands and corporations, our unique investment thesis is focused on sustainable supply chain management.
PeakBridge
We invest in, and connect, the people, technology and processes that will shape the future of food.
Btomorrow Ventures (BTV)
We’re Btomorrow Ventures (BTV), the corporate venture capital arm of BAT, focused on building world-class businesses that drive transformation and accelerate change.
Acre
We partner with companies providing the breakthrough technologies and critical infrastructure necessary to enable a greatly improved food ecosystem - one in which positive outcomes for human and environmental health are prioritized alongside profitability and convenience.
Supply Change Capital
We invest at the intersection of food, culture, and technology – catalyzing early stage sustainable businesses modernizing the food system.
Vu Venture Partners
A multi-stage global venture capital fund focused on Consumer, Enterprise, Fintech, Frontier, Healthcare, & PropTech.
Investor Networks
GlassWall Syndicate
A large group of venture capitalists, foundations, trusts, non-profits, and individual investors who share a similar investment thesis and want to accelerate mainstream adoption of products and services that will make a difference in the lives of animals, people and that are better for the planet.
Solvable Syndicate
Solvable is one of the fastest growing FoodTech/AgTech-focused investment syndicates, bringing together serial entrepreneurs, angels, and family offices to back some of the strongest FoodTech and AgTech founders globally.
Venture Studios
A venture studio business, also known as a startup studio sometimes, is a type of incubator that works to build several different companies in rapid succession.
Earth First Food Ventures
Earth First Food Ventures is a venture capital platform focused on ESG/impact investing in innovative food technologies, plant-based, fermentation and cultivated assets for healthier consumers, a cleaner environment, bluer oceans, and a better planet.
Rich Products Ventures
Rich Products Ventures is the corporate venture arm of Rich Products Corporation, one of the 50 largest food and beverage companies and leading frozen food manufacturers in the United States. As a private, family-owned company that pioneered the non-dairy industry, we understand the long-term perspective that innovation in the food industry requires.
Helia Capital
Helia Capital is a patient capital partner, operated by seasoned leaders and guided by an accomplished CEO who built his business from the ground up.
EVIG Group
EVIG is a company builder and impact investor in the alternative protein space. Together with pioneering scientists and entrepreneurs, we build and invest in companies to transform the global food system. Our focus is on approaches that have technology and science at their core, while having the potential to truly displace animal-derived products. Our aim is to build iconic companies in Europe that have an enduring positive impact on animals, planet and people.
Carbon13
Carbon13 works with founders to build startups that can reduce CO₂e emissions by millions of tonnes.
BoxOne Ventures
BoxOne Ventures is a privately held investment firm that focuses on early-stage companies across the most impactful, interesting and fast-changing sectors.
VisVires New Protein
We have helped to germinate and grow some of the most iconic start-up companies that are revolutionising the world of food and agriculture today.
